Adventures That Could Have Been
by learningtowrite1996
Summary: Random one-shots that display different adventures, or scenarios Harry and Sirius could've had if Sirius wouldn't have died. From escaping Death Eaters, to Sirius learning more about his godson, to anything you all may suggest! No slash, and is a good story for any Sirius and Harry lovers. Will be updated often.
1. Surprise Swim Lesson

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! So I'm really excited to be coming back to the Harry Potter fandom! I just got a random little idea the other day, about all kinds of adventures Sirius and Harry could have had if Sirius would have been alive. Most of these will be completely random, and have nothing to do with what actually happens in the Harry Potter books. Some wont be that way, but most will. But who knows what kinds of things could have happened if Sirius would have been alive? I hope you enjoy and please send me a review with questions, or just telling me what you think! :)**

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling is my absolute idol. Everything belongs to her. EVERYTHING. I own nothing, and am nothing.**

Adventures That Could Have Been

Chapter 1: Surprise Swim Lesson

Sometime in Harry Potter's Sixth Year

The wind and rain were beating against Harry Potter and Sirius Black. The two stood up high on a tall and rocky cliff overlooking the sea. Stormy waves lapped the rocks below, and the pelting water nearly knocked Harry off of his feet.

Sirius held out a hand to steady his godson. With one hand on Harry's upper arm he whipped his head around at the sound of loud and angry voices. They were slowly coming to the top of the hill where Harry and Sirius stood shivering.

Sirius let out a quiet groan. "There are far too many of them," he said loudly into Harry's ear. "There is no way we can fight them off."

Harry looked up at Sirius with wide eyes. "Can we apparate?"

Sirius shook his head. "This place is full of wards to protect all the dark magic going on. No one can just apparate in or out of here."

Harry gulped. Sirius, refusing to lose his calm at all, put an arm around Harry and put his wand inside his robes.

"Well, I guess our escape is easy then!" Sirius said, almost cheerily. "We'll have to jump!"

"Jump?" Harry yelled over the rain, looking even more frightened than when Sirius had told him that there was no chance of beating the crazed Death Eaters.

"Yes, jump! And quickly!" the voices grew ever louder.

Harry peered over the jagged side and shook his head a little. "There has to be – "

"Oh, come off it!" Sirius cried, grabbing Harry by the shoulders, forcing them to be facing each other. "You've battled a man with a snake face, and shit like that! You can't be afraid of a little jump!"

"Sirius, I think it's time I told you something about myself!" Harry burst out quickly. Sirius gave him a funny looked mixed with frustration and surprise.

After a curt nod from his godfather, Harry continued. "I can't – I can't really swim."

Sirius held his gaze with the boy for about a second before bursting into laughter. Harry looked furious.

"It isn't funny! No one ever taught me how!"

"What about the second task in your fourth year? Didn't you swim for that?"

"I know to kick my legs and such! But the gillyweed really helped me then!"

Sirius let out a few more chuckles at the desperation of the situation, and the look on Harry's face. He was obviously embarrassed, but trying to hide that with an angry look. However, the rain that soaked his entire body made Harry look extremely small and nervous, rather than threatening.

"I don't care!" screeched a rough voice. "We – just – need – to – find – POTTER!" The last word was said so loudly, that even through the violent storm, it made Harry and Sirius jump.

"Well, do you trust me, Harry James?" said Sirius, trying to keep the mood rather joking.

Harry looked wary. "Of course!"

Sirius grabbed tightly onto Harry's arm before saying, "Then please allow me to give you your first ever swimming lesson!"

And with that, he flung himself and the protesting teenager into the churning ocean below.

**That's it! They will all just be little one-shot like that! I will do as many as you all would like, and am open for suggestions! Please review! :)**

**Oh! And Happy Birthday Harry Potter, and Mrs. Rowling! :)**


	2. A Painful Reveal

**Hey guys! Thanks for all who reviewed, or favorited, or followed! It really means a lot to me! I hope you enjoy this chapter, leave me a review with anything you think!**

Adventures That Could Have Been

Chapter 2 : A Painful Reveal

Sometime in the summer before Harry Potter's sixth year

Sirius was practically skipping down the sunny sidewalk. The mixture of his new glorious freedom, and having Harry's house in view made him happier than usual. Dumbledore had instructed him to go and retrieve his godson only three weeks into his stay at the Dursley's. He was looking forward to Harry's surprise at finally coming to stay with Sirius; something that should have started the day Lily and James were killed.

_But no, _Sirius thought bitterly. _I had to let revenge get the better of me._

He came directly below Harry's window. The thought came to him of how extremely unpleasant it would be to confront Lily's sister, her whale of a spawn, and the neckless man. And to avoid them, was to go in a room that they probably never entered.

Harry's room.

Sirius was disappointed as he climbed through the window to find the room empty. He rounded his legs from the windowsill to the wooden ground and stared around. Harry's bed was unmade, and was littered with papers and clothing. His trunk was wide open, spilling out its contents. One item that was half in the trunk was made of a watery, fluid material. Gasping with recognition, Sirius bent down to pick up the item.

"James' cloak," he whispered, running the cloth through his fingers. Memories of prowling after curfew, playing endless pranks, and laughing with his late best friend were interrupted by a banging downstairs, and raised voices.

He tucked the cloak under his arm and cautiously strode across the room. The door made a slight creak as it opened; Sirius winced at the noise. Very quietly, he stepped down the stairs, hearing the voices better with each step.

" – I've put up with this my entire life! Now I'm finished!"

"HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE MY FAMILY OF MISTREATING YOU!" roared a harsh voice that Sirius guessed to be Harry's uncle.

"How dare I accuse?" laughed Harry. Sirius felt a rush of pride for his godson's cheek. "There is no accusation to be made! It's a fact! Hogwarts is my real home. This place is just a prison!"

As Sirius reached the bottom stair, there was a loud crashing noise, like someone being slammed into a wall. A dull pit formed in his stomach. He shakily placed the invisibility cloak over himself, half wanting to know what Harry's uncle was going to do, and half wanting to just run out and stop him.

Completely unseen, Sirius stepped into the hallway where Harry and Vernon were having their shouting match. Harry was pinned to the wall by the purple man, wearing a look of surprise and anger. Sirius' hands shook, praying that his theories of Harry's childhood weren't being proven true in that moment.

"How many times," Vernon whispered, furious and deadly. "Have I told you _never_ to mention any of your freakishness under this roof?"

Harry stared him down, not even blinking. Sirius fingered his wand in his pocket.

"I don't know," Harry responded coldly. "And I don't really care."

Sirius could see Vernon's fingers clench around Harry's shoulders. Harry made a little struggling movement to break free, but failed presumably. The ratio of Harry to his uncle was a very unfair one indeed.

"Well learn to care. Because as long as you are a burden here, you will follow our rules."

Harry sucked in a breath with a strange fire in his eyes. He kicked his foot, which was barley touching the floor against the wall.

He leaned forward, and said very slowly, "I am a wizard."

Quick as a flash, Vernon dropped Harry and slapped him across the face so hard that he was spun around and hit the wall with a painful bang.

There was a frozen, agonizing silence. Tears nearly threatened to rise in Sirius' eyes as he understood. Understood Harry's quiet manner, his constant politeness, how independent he was, and how his childhood really had been. And with that realization, came a bubbling and white hot feeling to Sirius. He withdrew the cloak from himself.

"Enough," Sirius said loudly as Vernon made to grab his godson again. The muggle turned quickly, and became even more purple at the sight of Sirius.

Harry, with a large bruise forming on his face, looked at Sirius with huge eyes. His mouth began to form a smile, but it disappeared quickly.

"Sirius?" Harry said questionably as Black moved towards him. "What are you – "

"We're going." said Sirius in an expressionless voice. "Go upstairs and get your things."

Harry nodded mutely and rushed from the hallway. Sirius turned slowly to the oldest Dursley, who was positively shaking.

"Listen to me, Dursley. I don't know what has possessed you to think that Harry Potter deserves any of your shit. But I do know that despite the hell you have given him over the years, he is still probably one of the best people I have ever met. How – how dare – " Sirius tightened his hand around the wand he didn't know he had drawn, and felt his throat constrict.

"How dare you treat him like he is nothing," Sirius continued, collecting himself. "Hell, you're actually lucky that you've had the opportunity to meet him."

Mr. Dursley just stared, mainly at Sirius' wand. He seemed completely terrified, but also angry for having to keep his mouth shut, and not talk back. That is, if he didn't want to be turned into some disgusting sort of bug.

Sirius glared at the man, wishing that he had something to say for his pathetic self. When Vernon Dursley made no retort, Sirius took some steps backwards, towards the stairs. He just wanted Harry, and to be gone.

With his foot on the first stair, Sirius decided on one more thought to weasel some remorse from Mr. Dursley.

"Harry is a light. He is certainly mine, anyways. He helps people to see beauty that they can't really see for themselves. Just like his mother did. If you ever touch, or even _speak_ to him again, I will know, and I will find you. I've served an unjust twelve years in prison. If you happen to – vanish, I'm sure I'll be pardoned, since I've already served my time."

Vernon made a convulsive movement at that statement and Sirius, partially satisfied, turned once again up the stairs. Nearly to the top, he came face to face with Lily's bony sister, who was obviously trying to see what all the commotion was about. Her eyebrows raised in a judgmental way when she caught sight of Sirius.

Having no more energy for a rant, Sirius just stared at her pointedly. "You're a bitch too." he said simply, and pushed past her.

Harry was quickly pushing all of his belongings into his trunk. His hands were practically shaking. Sirius had never noticed how quickly Harry did things.

"Here," he said calmly from the doorway. "Let me help."

Harry jumped, and spun around on his knees. He had a little trickle of blood on the corner of his mouth, and his face was rapidly supporting a blackish blue bruise. His expression of seeing Sirius in his room looked almost – fearful.

Not fearful of Sirius, or anything that his godfather would do. But fearful with the fact of Sirius knowing, and him feeling pity for Harry. Because Harry didn't want pity. He kind of just wanted to forget, and start over.

"Oh gosh – " Sirius said. "Don't – don't think that I – "

"I'm not thinking that, Sirius. I'm not afraid of you." said Harry meekly.

Sirius took a deep, shuddering breath. "Good," he knelt beside Harry, and his trunk. "Don't ever be." And he pulled Harry to him, hugging him like he imagined James would have if he ever could have had the chance.

Harry clung to him, and Sirius put a hang on the back of his head. "I love you," Sirius said, very quietly.

Harry pulled away as if electrocuted. His face shone, and his eyes lit with a strange kind of beautiful light that canceled out the fire which was glowing at Vernon Dursley. He didn't say that he loved his godfather back. He was just speechless.

And that was enough.

**So, I wanted to write one of these that seemed kind of more toned down. Not where Vernon is crazy abusive, and not where Harry is really babyish either. Harry is a very capable person, after all. Hope you enjoyed, and please leave a review!**

**Have a wonderful day! :)**


	3. Interrogation of a Warrior

Adventures That Could Have Been

Chapter 3 – Interrogation of a Warrior

Sometime in the summer before Harry Potter's seventeenth birthday.

"Harry," said a firm voice. The teenage boy, who was sitting on his bed, looked up as his godfather pushed open the door.

"Yes?" Harry's eyes were wide and his speech was quiet.

"Let's talk."

"Okay."

Sirius sat on the edge of his bed and placed a hand over his mouth, seeming to struggle with speech for a moment.

"I was – " Sirius swallowed. "I was talking to Molly the other day – "

"About me leaving?" Harry interrupted. "Surely you aren't trying to convince me otherwise? We've talked about this. We've known it would come to this someday."

"But I was never thinking that it would be so soon!" Sirius defended. "I never thought Dumbledore would die, leaving _you_ to save us all!"

Harry flinched at the emphasis on the 'you'. "Dumbledore trusted me to do this. He had faith in me."

"I have faith in you." said Sirius, exasperated.

"No you don't. If you, or Mrs. Weasley, or any of the adults in the Order had faith in me, they wouldn't be pestering me constantly about where I am going. They wouldn't constantly remind me that I'm a _child._"

"You're not a child," Sirius assured him. "But you aren't an adult either. Not even close."

"Then what does it mean to be of age?" asked Harry. His polite tone pushed Sirius' temper. The fact that his own teenage godson was sometimes more mature than Sirius bothered him to no end. Because he never really had the chance to grow up entirely, and poor Harry was forced to do it early.

"It means nothing! You are seventeen! I have faith in you, I know you are strong! But you _cannot_ win on your own! You just can't!"

Harry stared down at his hands and shut his eyes, blocking out his godfather. He had enough experience to know that Sirius said irrational things when he was desperate. And just choosing to ignore his rants usually helped Harry with keeping the peace.

"I'm sorry," Harry said tonelessly. "I have to go."

"And I can't know anything?" Sirius attempted to look Harry in the eyes. "I have to be completely in the dark? What if you're in trouble? What if you're _dead?_ Will I have to find out through the paper?"

"I'm sure you'll know rather soon if I'm dead."

"Comforting. Thank you." Sirius said bitterly. Harry put his face in his hands with a groan, and Sirius bit back his next remark. He watched as Harry shook mildly, and tried to contain himself. He didn't raise his head for over a minute. Sirius stayed silent, feeling remorse for stressing him out even more.

"I'm trying, Sirius." His voice sounded like someone with a bad cold. "I'm trying so hard. And I want to tell you, so bad. But I just – I – don't know even what I'm doing. I don't know at all. Ron and Hermione are doing more than I am."

A lump of pity rose in Sirius' throat as he looked at Harry, who was trying with all his heart not to cry. Sirius knew probably better than anyone that Harry so hated crying in front of anyone –

_"It will be okay," said Sirius from behind. Harry whirled around to face his godfather._

_ "Will it?" he asked with a strange kind of heat. His face was whiter than usual. He looked positively destroyed. _

_ "Of course," Sirius told him, keeping some of his glance on the new minister, who gave Sirius a nod. "The Order will carry on the strength Dumbledore gave us. We are stalwart, and you are brave. Don't feel like his death is the end."_

_ The mermaids were singing a strange song as they began to retreat back beneath the water. Sirius could see Ginny, still sitting in her golden seat. She looked extremely deep in thought. Ron was holding Hermione as tears poured down her face. Ron's own eyes were glassy with tears. _

_ "No, it isn't the end. I know what I need to do," Harry's voice was thick and decided. _

_ "And I'll help you. With anything, ever. I'll be here for you. I promise."_

_ Harry looked right at Sirius, who was surprised to see the boy's eyes fill with unwanted tears. _

_ "Shit," said Harry, annoyed. Harry never cursed. Well, not around Sirius at least. "Shit, shit. Tears are so effing stupid."_

_ Harry impatiently brushed them from his eyes, and off his cheeks. He looked at Sirius, almost pleadingly. Then he turned at walked away briskly, still wiping his eyes; leaving Sirius completely bewildered. _

How much more sense that memory made now! He had thought that Harry had been in tears maybe because of Dumbledore's death, or even because of gratitude at the thought of Sirius being there for him. But, no. He had known, even at Dumbledore's funeral that he was leaving in a few months. He knew that he was dropping out of school, and he knew that Sirius couldn't come along. And it scared him. The fact that he would have no more adult protector had frightened him enough to reduce him to tears. Tears that were _'so effing stupid'_, and had made him curse.

"Let me help you," Sirius begged him. "Let me keep my promise."

Harry just shook his head silently. "I'm done being looked after. It's time for me to get over the fact that a parent can protect me from any harm. That isn't true, and never has been true."

The words hit Sirius like a slap in the face. No, more like a stinging, burning slap in the face. And also with a resignation. Harry's mind was made up. He was trying to not depend on Sirius constantly; so Sirius would need to stop depending on his need for Harry.

Sirius shakily opened the pocket in his coat, and withdrew Harry's mirror. "Here," he told his godson, heartbroken. "I found this in my drawer for some reason – "

"Oh yeah, I left it in there after I came home from Hogwarts – "

"Will you use it?" he whispered. "Please?"

Harry looked at Sirius full in the face, and nodded. His expression was unreadable. It was unhappy, obviously, but unreadable all the same.

"I'll try."

Sirius nodded, finding himself unable to say anymore. He stood, messed up his godson's hair, and exited the room.

Once he clicked the door shut, Harry collapsed down onto his bed, burying into his pillow. And right when Harry was down, Sirius, on the other side of the door slid to the ground.

**Thanks so much for reading :) Please, please review, and tell me if you have any suggestions. I do have quite a few ideas of my own, but your thoughts mean everything to me :)**


	4. Harry's Gonna Have A Heck of a Hangover

**This chapter was decided by SkyeblueA. Thanks for the suggestion :)**

Adventures That Could Have Been

Chapter 4: Poor Harry's gonna have one heck of a hangover Part 1

Sometime in the direct month after the battle of Hogwarts

The clock rang throughout the house, signifying the start of another hour. That hour happened to be three in the morning. And Sirius' godson wasn't home yet.

He knew that it really wasn't his place to worry anymore. Of course, until Harry was back with his parents he would worry, but perhaps the boy did need a little space. He was seventeen after all, almost eighteen. It was just a little strange how he had left with just a, "I'm going out." Harry never went out. Not ever. He spent time with Ron, Hermione, and the Weasleys. Sometimes Sirius would see him holding Ginny's hand with a genuine sparkle in his eyes. But he didn't go out with people that Sirius didn't know. Not ever.

Harry had also been going through quite a period of depression in the past month. It was expected, for sure. But it was serious. His face became gaunt, and coloring was whiter than ever. He had asked two days after the final if he could "please, please, maybe if it wasn't too much trouble," live with Sirius.

Of course the answer was a wholehearted yes, complete with a hug.

But living with Harry had been like living with a dark fog. His normally admirable attitude had been lessened. So many people had died in the war; so many more of Harry's friends, that Sirius guessed him to have cracked a little bit. It was painful for Sirius too, but Harry was so young that it just had a greater impact on him.

He needed to be there for Harry, even though he was now the last Marauder. For Remus, and his wife Nymphadora Tonks had been two of the fallen during the Battle of Hogwarts.

It was agony. Absolute, complete agony. Not even Peter, the disgusting traitor, was alive anymore. Only Sirius. But he swore, with all his heart that he would protect his best friend's children. He had been doing his best with Harry, and now he had Remus' new little son Teddy as well. He had never gotten the chance to have his own family, so the kids of the Marauders were his life.

So since the boy was his life, he needed to get home immediately. Sirius paced back and forth in the kitchen, right where the front door was. He bit his thumb after a few steps. He bit it harder when rain started to fall against the roof, and nearly drew blood when the clock rang yet again. It was four in the morning.

_Something must have happened..._ he thought frantically. _There must have been another Death Eater still at large that got him. He must have been kidnapped, maybe it was hours and hours ago. He could be anywhere; in a gutter, some freak's house, trapped in the rain, maybe he tried to Apparate and splinched..._ It's funny how your mind races when afraid.

Right as he was about to send a Patronus to the Weasley's house, a loud crack sounded in the front yard. Sirius' head whipped around to stare at the front door. It clicked with the sound of an opening, and in stumbled Harry.

He was completely soaked to the skin, and his face contained no color. Sirius strode quickly forward to catch him, because his feet tripped over themselves, making him stumble like a drunk man. His eyes were red.

_Wait... stumbling like a drunk man?_ Thought Sirius in a flash. He had just been considering some sort of mugging. But Harry? Drunk? No. Never. He was serious, and quiet, and moral, and thoughtful. Harry didn't drink, or party, or do anything like that.

Right?

Right.

Oh no.

He had no clue, actually what Harry did. Sirius had always so blithely trusted him, that it had never occurred that the boy might need some sort of prohibition.

Harry shook as Sirius dragged him into a chair by the kitchen table. Sirius bent down on one knee, observing Harry as if he were a very little child.

"Harry," said Sirius, with a mixture of calmness and force. "Are you all right?"

Harry blinked, and shook his head; not in, Sirius guessed an answer of 'no'. But in a way to clear it, because he was so jumbled. The unmistakeable aroma of alcohol began to create a sort of haze in the air. Sirius' heart sunk as he reached a hand forward to his godson's face.

"Aw shit, Harry," he whispered to the still silent kid. "What'd you have to go and do a thing like this for? Hangovers aren't any fun," a hand brushed the dripping, dark bangs from Harry's forehead. With his face being stark-white, the old cursed scar stood out more than it had ever before. It practically glowed.

Harry raised both trembling hands to touch his rapidly swelling lip. Sirius noted that there was a trickle of blood running down his chin.

Suddenly, Harry's breathing became rapid and shallow. He stood up, pushed past Sirius, and rushed into the bathroom. Sirius got up off the floor and calmly followed as the sound of retching met his ears.

Oh the joys of raising your best friend's kid.

A stream of colorful curse words became louder as Sirius carefully pushed open the door. "Harry?" he voiced cautiously. "What do you need me to do?"

"Nothing," Harry gasped. "Nothing. Go, just, go."

"Well, I'm not gonna go that," said Sirius, squatting beside Harry. "Anything else?"

Harry pushed himself away from the toilet, shaking. He put his knee to his chest and held the left ankle.

"You know how to fix broken bones?" he asked, consciousness slipping.

"Broken – what? Harry? What's the matter?" The teenager slumped to the floor and laid his head on the cold tile. Sirius frowned, afraid.

"Harry? Come on kid. Tell me what happened." he peered over his godson's still form. "Tell me what to do."

Sirius sat Harry up by his shoulders and shook him a little. Harry's head fell limp. With his neck exposed, a large, dark bruise shone out against the white skin. Crinkling his eyebrows, Sirius pulled his kid closer, and took in the effect of his bleeding lip, the bruises on his neck, and down his arms.

"Damn it, Harry," said Sirius to himself. "What the hell happened to you?"

**Part two WILL be updated this time next week. Look for it :)**


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